Suzore Theatre #1

869 Jackson Avenue,

Memphis,
TN38107

I just purchased the Lot where the Suzore theater was. Would love comments, photos etc. This is a landmark with rich history.
Even has some Civil Right’s History. Amazing that back in the day of segregation a Black man sued a white man for damages.
Would like to know more about the Rutherford family as well.

Does anyone know/remember which Suzore Theater was next door to a fire station? My grandfather was the projectionist there. I used to ride with him to go pick up the big film canisters and spent many hours with him in the projection booth while the movies were running.

Mr. Suzore used to give me free popcorn and soda to have while watching the movie. I only got to go to the matinees because I was so young and couldn’t stay up for the night time showings. After the movies were over I would go through the empty theater looking for coins people had dropped in the dark and rolled towards the screen because of the sloped floor. I did OK for a 7-yr old. While I was waiting for my grandfather to finish shutting down for the day I would go next door to the fire station and visit the firemen.

Years later (1957?) I would walk with my two cousins to the movies. I got $.50 for an allowance which got me in the movies, bought my popcorn, a candy bar, and a soda. And I got $.10 change.

I finally have seen, but could not copy, a beautiful, clear photo of the Lincoln Theatre at 297 N. Main. It became the Suzore #2. It was opened in 1927, the same year the Suzore on Jackson opened. It is curious. I have now seen newspaper ads reading “Suzore Theatres” “Suzore’s Theatres” and “Suzore’s #1 and #2.” Both signs must have been repainted at the same time to read “Suzore’s” but the floor tile of the Jackson theatre reads “Suzore Theatre” to this day. Of course, Fred Suzore was somewhat eccentric. Also the vertical on Jackson appears to have a marquee.

I have been in contact with American Classic Images about use of their photos in a new project of mine. I purchased the photo of the Suzore #1 to post. The links to their site are very appropriate and welcome and I have been allowed to leave this posting with their credit. www.americanclassicimages.com

Jack Coursey’s photo is the #2 on N Main. Chuck’s photo is the one on Jackson, the #1. You may barely be able to see the shape of the floor and boxoffice. The tile floor is on Jackson, “in situ” as it were.

I was told that the Suzores lived in an apartment above this theatre into the 1960’s and that there was a photoplayer still sitting at the front of the hall at that late date. That would imply the theatre dated from the silent era. When I saw the site it was a weedy lot: the building completely gone.

Re: Elvis' boyhood favorite (see comments above and also for the other Suzore theater).
Careful study of the maps indicates that the Suzore No. 2 on North Main St. was only a few blocks from the Lauderdale Courts projects. This theater, The Suzore No. 1 on Jackson Avenue was farther away, although still within walking distance. This supports the idea that it was the Suzore No. 2 that Elvis attended as a child, so the old-timers who told me it was the other way round were probably mistaken and Mr. Goldman was probably correct.

That’s probably right then; my information was relayed from others, and maybe they or I (and Mr. Goldman, too) remembered it wrong. The building and sign were so far gone when I saw them that there was no way to tell. Thanks.

This was the one known as the Suzore No. 2. Albert Goldman’s highly uncomplimentary and controversial biography of Elvis Presley (which I neither endorse nor condemn personally) states that while living in the Lauderdale Court projects nearby, Elvis went often to the Suzore No. 2. There, supposedly, he saw several early 1950s Tony Curtis movies that had a major role in shaping his image. In the late 1970s I occasionaly went biking down Jackson Avenue and would go right past the remains—or ruins—of the Suzore No. 2. It had obviously been closed a long time and was literally collapsing in slow motion. The large once-vertical sign was lying on its side in the grass beside the building, rusting away.